High Hopes
by AnotherLove13
Summary: But I got high hopes that takes me back to when we started... Before Fred noticed Hermione in a romantic way, he had noticed her, it would be impossible to ignore one portion of the golden trio, and your younger brothers best friend. My version of a foundation to build on for future stories, that somewhat follows the books fairly close to canon.
1. Chapter 1

Hello, so some quick notes, I know the first chapter is a little short to start with, but hopefully length with increase!. Each Chapter should follow about a year at Hogwarts, showing different snippets of interaction.

Disclaimer I own nothing

I try to keep to canon as best as possible but there are some deviations, small details that have eluded me or simply made the idea flow better.

"I got high hopes, that takes me back to when we started..." High Hopes -Kodaline

...

It all started after the first Christmas home of his younger sibling.

He came back practically bouncing with stories and a new found confidence that had been lacking when he left.

He was no longer as young as the family thought, not that Fred and George would let him believe it. Frankly if they did, that meant both of them were getting a tad too close to adulthood and that was where the real fear loomed.

Bill had been home that Christmas. Bill had always been a favorite among all the siblings. He was old enough to give good counsel but young enough not to be disproving of antics. It was late one night during the break that Fred had walked past a room with two occupants chatting away.

"So anything exciting happen at school that you didn't want to share with the family?"

"No not really, unless you count fighting a mountain troll." The grin on Ron's face was obvious even from behind a door.

"A what?!"

"Yup a mountain troll. You see it's a bit of a long story but a friend was trapped in a washroom, well she wasn't a friend yet, but after the mountain troll. We became friends, actually one of my best mates her and um ya, we couldn't leave her alone with it? Could we? Though she did a pretty good job at not getting killed..."

"So let me get this straight, not even one full semester in and you and two friends fought a mountain troll? A full grown adult, mountain troll"

Ron could only grin and answered with a resounding

"Yes"

"I think the family name is in good hands then" Bill said with a proud smile on his face. Who would have guessed that his youngest brother would be so adventurous. He would do great things he could feel it.

A grin spread across Fred's face. He had heard the rumors; this had only confirmed what they had said.

Instantly his expression changed to a frown.

They couldn't let little Ronnie, gain more fame than them, it would just not do. But what could he really get up too? Yes his one best mate was the infamous Harry Potter, but really their other best mate was the straightest line ever. He heard she was brilliant, but completely a rule abiding know it all book worm. His few encounters with her proved it.

Though there had to be a reason she was placed in Gryffindor and not Ravenclaw. Though their pompous brother was also a Gryffindor. Maybe she would be like him. Fred's face skewed up like he bit into a lime.

Only time would tell and that was not time that he wanted to waste dwelling on that. There were pranks to play, maybe on said git of a brother, and also with that, where was his twin? He was being too quiet, usually meant he was up too no good, without him! With that as a final horrid thought, Fred dashed off to ensure that mischief was managed to the high standard that was expected

...

He knew the look of trouble and those three definitely wore the look almost everyday these past few weeks. They were up to something, George had sensed it too as he eyed up the three little first years. Harry and Ron and been whispering back and forth with Hermione in the middle, nose deep in a book.

It didn't take long for the three to feel the gaze of the twins.

With a scathing glare, Hermione looked up and snapped the book in front of her shut, grabbed the hands of her friends and pulled them up and out of the common room.

Little did the trio know, that one of the duo had seen what book she had been looking at. Fred was left to ponder why she was reading that particular book and secondly, how she got ahold of it. It was restricted, how did she get ahold of a restricted book?

Maybe she was not as much of a straight edge as they thought.

...

Nothing was more unnatural than getting woke up in the middle of the night. Actually why was he being woken up in the middle of the night? The world had yet to be clear from the haze of sleep. Something about Ron, and then it hit him as George gave him an almighty shake

Ron

Ron in the hospital wing, what why was he there?

Apparently no one really wanted to say why, just that since they were family they should know where he was, that he was going to be ok and no word was sent to the Burrow, since they didn't think there was a need to alarm Mrs. Weasley.

No one ever really wanted to alarm her.

When him and George walked into the hospital wing all three of the trio sat on a bed with Mrs Pomfrey fussing around them. All three were paler than they ought to covered in various scratches and bruises; Ron's being the worst of the three. Silently they sat around him, Hermione looked off as if she was in her own little world, if that world was pleasant or hostile was another thing. George beside him was busy examining their younger siblings face for some sort of hint of the stunt that landed him there.

Even he had the sensibility not to get home all out of sorts for nothing.

Fred simply looked up and stared across at the bushy haired girl across him, with a curt nod they acknowledged the other for what they were. He was capable of being serious, (which was rarely seen) and she was capable of not being a straightedge.

Neither ever considered that this was a one off thing.


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing.

...

It was actually getting quite worrisome. So many people were potentially in danger due to their blood. They were quite lucky actually, it really was by accident no one in the immediate family really paid any attention or mind to that kind of rubbish.

Unfortunately not as many people were as liberal as they were. Fred examined who sat in the common room at that moment. Some older students in a corner, all of them were fine as far as he was aware. There were the students his age near the fire where he sat casually, who consisted mostly of half-blood, with a handful of full, his twin included. Actually now that he surveyed the room there were not as many as he originally thought. That in a way made him feel better and in other ways less. It just meant the few were at a higher risk. He heard the door open and in walked Ron and Harry chatting away about who knew what. He thanked merlin again that this wouldn't affect his siblings.

As if sensing the boys presence, Hermione came down the stairs of the girls dormitory, books in hand. Fred winced a little bit. She wore a look on her face that was not good. It was a similar face that she wore most of last year and where did that land the trio...in trouble. Ron and Harry had noticed the look also and had grown serious. Without much thought the three huddled themselves into a corner table and began conspiring.

Fred had been so distracted he didn't even notice George sit down closer to him

"they're doing it again Fred"

"I know, ever worry about what they're chatting about over there"

"mhmmm sometimes, never thought I would worry about people chatting away in private, guess its how people feel when they see us do that" He added with a cheshire grin.

"Blimey, we must drive people barmy" Fred added in with a chuckle.

"But seriously its not exactly safe, especially for little mione, its dangerous enough without purposely looking for trouble" George added with a pointed nod

"Something tells me she's tougher than we think"

"Oh I have no doubt about that, I'm sure it'll all be fine, speaking of worry have you seen Ginny recently?"

"Ya headed into the library with some books and that diary that she's in love with"

"You mean that one she probably sleeps with?"

"Hmmmm yes that would be the one, too fond of that thing isn't she? It would be a shame if it disappeared for a bit, and ya know read, it would give us some new dirt wouldn't it?"

"Why yes it would, might incur the wrath of our dearest sister though, got lungs like our dear old mother too, don't really fancy getting yelled at by either but I also have some dung bombs too right now that have been itching to find there ways into s's office"

"You're right, we do have to set priorities and this school could do with a good laugh right about now"

Two ginger heads were pressed together, conspiring about their newest plan, the diary long forgotten.

An observant student (although none were present) would have been beside themselves with worry, in one section of the common room sat the two pranksters clearly thinking up new trouble, and most likely a target. But in the other sat a particularly worrisome trio, who so far only conspired when there was larger trouble afoot. Luckily though no such student was there.

...

The twins were roughly cornered by non other than their least favorite professor. He was all huff and greasy hair, ranting on and on about them stealing from his personal storage of potion ingredients. Yes they stole from him quite frequently, their brilliant original material needed supplies from somewhere, but never that much and so far nothing that he was listing off with anger.

The twins had always been observant, it was necessary to see how conditions changed before and after setting up for a prank. Being observant also gave them opportunity and new opportunities were never a bad thing. Unfortunately for others (and maybe fortunately) they were also extremely apt at reading people. An observed scrunched nose of displeasure here, a guilty ear tug there, a suspicious furrowed brow. And at that moment a sheepish looking Ron walked by at the end of their scolding.

After Snape had left George turned to Fred with a knowing smile on his face

"So I'm assuming you saw our dear brother walk by hmmm"

"Indeed, seemed guilty as a fly to me"

"As a fly?"

"Don't know, sounds like a thing muggles would say?"

"Guess so but that's not the point, obviously he's guilty, and by he, I mean them."

"Does what he listed ring any bells?"

"Nope, cause that would mean I was paying attention in good ol' Snape in class" George said lazily.

"Point taken, who cares really as long as it doesn't keep getting us in trouble for no good reason then I couldn't give a worttal wing about it"

"Though if we find one of those then I would give a good handful of gallons for it, those things are useful, imagine the possibilities

"We could..." It took the rest of the day to contemplate all various useful properties of a worttal wing and all hassle about potion ingredients were forgotten.

...

Later in the semester found the twins sitting late in the common room doing twinly things, whatever that involved was unknown. A rather frazzled Ron and Harry had come into the common room earlier and they were spotted without a prominent bush of hair. Although not an uncommon or unheard of sight, based on the level of frazzle the two were portraying the twins had decided something had happened.

With a few things to work on and discuss, the twins decided it was worth waiting up to see what potential this situation would give them. A bit of healthy teasing was always promising and Hermione was quickly becoming a favorite next to perfect prefect and lil Ron. They always got a good rise from her. It was only a matter of time till she walked through the portrait into what could only be described as an ambush.

"Oh look at this Fred we have a late comer to the room"

"I see that George, and what would this late comer have as an excuse for coming into here at such an ungodly hour"

"What if we had been asleep and woken because of this"

"You know, not many people understand the need of beauty sleep, being as handsome as us is exhausting."

"Though we are truly naturals, imagine having to work and put in effort to be as stunning as us"

"I was studying late" snapped Hermione

"Not only has she potentially woken us up, she has the nerve to lie to us." Fred feigned hurt, while clutching to his chest.

"tsk tsk and I was having such good dreams"

"Come off it you weren't even sleeping, now shove off and let me go to sleep." Said Hermione hotly

"hmmmmm well that's gryffindor fierceness if I ever heard it"

"With a mane to match, I would say, how feline of you Hermio..."

Without another word she dashed up the stairwell into the girls dorm. Leaving two-puzzled Weaslys .

"Was it something I said?"

"hmmmm doubt it, in the words of our dear brother "that one's mental, she is"

...

They had been there when his brother had been singled out by McGonagall. Her usual stern face looked more than usual. They heard a similar story about Harry pulled away from what he had been doing by what could only be described as an upset McGonagall. though it was easily forgotten as lunch proceeded.

As lunch progressed more and more rumors started flying, apparently Penelope Clearwater was missing from lunch and some of her housemates and friends had started to panic, she was after all a muggle born.

The Gryffindor table was discussing this possibility animatedly.

When the first wave of what was thought to be a confirmation that indeed someone had been attacked, who most assuredly been miss Clearwater. This had sent the great hall into more of a hum of hurried chatter.

And then it came, the second wave of rumors.

Where this information came from was beyond George and Fred, who could only listen to the newest supposed information. There was another, Penelope Clearwater was not alone and someone else had also been attacked. Speculations were flying, friends frantically looked around to see if they could spot who was missing from their group and house.

It was Ginny that got their attention she had visibly paled and had a slight shake about her.

"What" they said in unison, know was not a time to be playing around.

"wel...well, where are Ron and Harry?"

The twins looked at each other with a sense of relief at her unneeded worry; they could never tease their little sister too much, especially about something like this. This worry they could put to ease.

"McGonagall collected them earlier, both are fine said" George said confidently

Fred watched Ginny's face as George delivered the news.

It was not giving her peace as they thought the news would, actually she looked more frustrated and gave them a look as if they were thick and George and himself were not thick (or at least only on purpose when it was required to survive)

"Yes well spotted, the two who wouldn't be at high risk are fine and accounted for, but last I noticed they were mostly a trio and not a dimwitted due like you two!"

His brain slowly clicked together, it wasn't that he couldn't comprehend it, but that he didn't want to comprehend it. It made perfect sense, why both Ron and Harry and been pulled aside by McGonagall, why they hadn't returned, Ron never missed meals, not even detention could stop him, not that detention ever happened during the day.

It was Finnegan, who was sitting beside Ginny had put together what she had said, and let the final piece of information unknown to the great hall go (well apart from their current condition). Maybe he knew what he was doing, or maybe his brain couldn't just put it together inside his head and he needed to say it out loud, either way all thought about regulating his voices volume went out the window.

"Your right Gin, have you seen Hermione recently? It all kind of makes sense… she is a muggle born isn't she? You lot said Ron and Harry were pulled aside, blimey I bet your right!"

It had happened, he knew it, they were just always poking their head into trouble, and this one was such a threat to her, for someone so smart she did stupid things far too often, hopefully it wouldn't cost her, her life.

All he could really hope was that she would be fine, because if he was being honest with himself whatever the three had been up too, Harry and Ron were most definitely in over their heads without her.

If he was being more honest with himself, he would have acknowledge that this was really just the beginning of darker things, that seemed to surround the three, and Harry and Ron, really had no chance to make it out alive without her.

And if he was being absolutely frank, which he frankly was absolutely not acknowledging, he was kind of growing fond of this little gryffindor."


End file.
